[ibuysportsephemera]

Originally Posted by thecatspajamas

I think this summarizes my main issue with your approach.



Let me be very clear that when I say "ignorant" for the rest of this post, I am not referring to lack of intelligence, but rather a lack of knowledge of the facts.

When you buy something out of ignorance, become a little more educated through research after the purchase, and return the item because it is not what you originally thought it might be: This is not a no-harm transaction. You may have gained a little knowledge and experience as a result, but that experience was 100% at the expense of the seller. That's not cool in my book.

You make a point that if someone isn't selling fraudulent items, they don't have to worry, because you don't return something if it's authentic. But just because something turns out to be other than what you in your ignorance assumed it to be (as in the case of the Jackie Robinson photos you recently posted about) does not make the seller a crook or a purveyor of fraudulent items.

There have been plenty of times when I have dealt with ignorant buyers: ones who had some idea of what they were looking for, but who simply did not have all their facts straight about what I was selling and somehow convinced themselves that they were getting something different. I am thankful when these ignorant buyers take the time to ask questions beforehand, and patiently explain to them why what I have is not what they are looking for, knowing that it will profit me none. Too often though, the buyers do not ask questions until after they have snatched up their "treasure" from what they take to be a seller who doesn't know his wares (after all, I've only been on eBay for 20 years!). I ship the item off, and then the questions start. "Why doesn't it have this feature? How do you know that about it? Where did you get this? Does it have a COA? How do I know it's real if it doesn't have a COA? Why didn't it come with the COA that you neither mentioned nor pictured? How can I be sure it's really what you never said it was but what I inferred you might be implying from your description that was carefully worded to not call it what I want it to be?" And I start grinding my teeth, because I know that I'm about to pay for this schlub's education by way of shipping costs, return shipping costs, fees and commissions that I will never recover from him, no matter how thoroughly I explain and point out his mistaken assumptions and that the item is exactly what I portrayed it to be. That they were wrong is not important in their eyes. What is important is that eBay will allow them to return it regardless.

I don't mind educating ignorant collectors, but resent when I am forced to pay to do so.

Do not make others pay for your education. Asking questions is free. Shipping and eBay fees are not. You have stated your approach of gambling on purchases knowing that eBay will back you up if it's not real, but seem to forget that the "back-up" you mention is always at the expense of the seller. Ebay does not spread any safety net for you that they did not first extract from the seller's pocket. And for every one or two scam artists that rightly have to eat the cost of shipping their forgery to you and having it returned, I can almost guarantee that you're going to stick it to an honest seller whose only mistake was in dealing with an ignorant collector who did not educate himself about what he was actually buying before pulling the trigger. Please, for the sake of all upstanding dealers in the room, do your research BEFORE clicking on Buy It Now.

Really well said Lance! As a long time eBay seller, I appreciate your comments. Thanks.

Jeff